THE EFFECT OF PARENTERAL PENTOXIFYLLINE THERAPY ON SKIN FLAP SURVIVAL

Abstract

The effect of pentoxifylline as a hemorrheologic agent on skin flap survival has been observed. A caudally pedicled dorsal flap with an ischemic component in rats was used as the model. The flap survival was calculated to be 0.807+/-0.049 in the control group (n = 15), where flap survival was found to be 0.9713+/-0.018 in the pentoxifylline treated group (n = 15) (t = 12.19, p < 0.005). In the meantime, living flap length was measured as 9.96+/-0.72 in the control group, and 11.84+/-0.18 in the pentoxifylline treated group. With these results, we have come to the conclusion that parenteral pentoxifylline therapy is effective on ischemic skin flap survival in the rat model.